madrid montessori

introduction

infant community (1-3)
a day in...

Children arrive and are greeted individually by one of the Guides during the drop-off time from 9:00 to 9:15. Each child says goodbye to their parent or caregiver at the gate and comes in to where they change their shoes and hang up their jackets. Through the glass wall between the entryway and the classroom environment, the children can see who has already arrived, and what is going on in the classroom.

Many children like to start their morning by joining in the small group to sing songs and greet one another. Others prefer to choose an activity from the shelf, do artwork or read a book.

From 9:15 to 10:15, the children have free choice to work among the four areas in the environment: Language, Art, Manipulative Materials, and the Exercises in Practical Life, which include many food preparation activities. During this hour the children choose individual activities and receive one-on-one lessons, eventually coming together again in small groups led by the guides. Sometimes these groups do specific, planned activities, but they can also be more spontaneous gathering for singing, movement, exploring musical instruments, stories, and language enrichment games.

At 10:15, the children are invited to put their work away and gather for a group on the rug. This time serves as a transition that leads into the children washing their hands in preparation for snack, which happens every day at around 10:40. The children participate in setting the table and serving one another, as well as clearing their own places. This is, in many respects, the culmination of the morning’s work. It is the moment when the children sit together to enjoy some of the food they have worked to prepare during the morning, and they practice the skills necessary for being part of a group.

Throughout the morning and before going out to the patio, children are invited to use the toilet and are guided to gain autonomy in toileting and participate actively in changing their clothes.

From 11:15 to 11:30 the children transition to the patio. They play in the patio until a few minutes before noon, when they make their way back into the classroom to sing a goodbye song.

Pick-up time is at 12:00 when the children greet their parents at the front gate.